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View Full Version : Help with strange emails from my contact form



jamesray50
08-10-2012, 08:21 PM
Hello everyone,

I have been receiving the following emails. I get several of these at a time everyday. Different addresses, but 5 or 6 in a row with the same info.
I don't know why I am receiving these but would like for them to stop. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

From: mpkbzcrulq <xzzopsjojc@sbktln.com>
Website: < http://www.zogtfmnjou.com/>
Subject: hphtgeeo

Message Body:
qwvloupqopudicppllffqjoh, <a href="http://www.ewallixvrp.com">cetdxowzwf</a>

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This mail is sent via contact form on Top Notch Bookkeeping Top Notch Bookkeeping | Virtual Bookkeeping | Payroll Services | Quickbooks Training and Consulting (http://topnotchbookkeeping.com)

MyITGuy
08-10-2012, 10:29 PM
Should implement something like reCAPTCHA: Stop Spam, Read Books (http://www.google.com/recaptcha) on your contact forms. It prevents bots from submitting information like what your seeing.

StefanT
08-13-2012, 03:33 PM
If you have a WordPress site you can use the Akismet Plugin. It captures all my Spam comments and works pretty well.

cjarrodsnow
08-17-2012, 12:41 AM
You are getting spammed by bots! You should definitely look into a ReCaptcha verification tool so the bots can send you periodic emails as they find your contact page.

nealrm
08-17-2012, 09:36 AM
You are being spammed by bot, but why they put random data into the fields I don't know.
I would look into other methods of verification than ReCaptcha. ReCaptcha will stop the bots, but the method it used is getting to the point where it is stopping humans also. The pictures they use for the words are so blurred and distorted that many can't read them.

krymson
08-29-2012, 10:43 AM
If you're using WordPress, I recommend using Contact Form 7, and use their challenge feature, where you make the question and the user has to answer like whats 1+1? and they would put 2, and there's other security features. Nealrm is correct i do find myself having to refresh these reCAPTCHA's just to find one I can read. Now hands down it's the most secure way to protect your contact forms but there's a price to that and it could cost you a lead or a sale.

nealrm
08-31-2012, 01:00 AM
Many times these bots are setup to look for specific common patterns that fit an email submission form. So try changing the form. Because you have a low traffic site, you can use less stringent means to control the bots. Try adding a field that requires the users to type in "Human", or "Book Keepers Rocks" before the submit button will work. It's not a secure as using reCaptchA, but may fit your needs better.

On the same subject, what is the purpose of sending the emails with random characters and invalid links. I don't understand what is being accomplished by this.

krymson
08-31-2012, 09:31 AM
Could be trying to send malicious code to the computer, that's the only thing i can think of.

MyITGuy
08-31-2012, 10:19 AM
On the same subject, what is the purpose of sending the emails with random characters and invalid links. I don't understand what is being accomplished by this.

As krymson mentioned, could be malicious code or an attempt to overwhelm the servers HTTP and Mail Queue processes (I.E. Some web hosts will suspend your account if you have a certain percentage of "bounce back" messages.

In some cases its most likely an attempt to harvest your autoresponse e-mail address along with any "CC" e-mail addresses you include.